Yan

Although it may seem sudden, I would like to share a ghost story about a water demon.

In a remote village in Taiwan, near the winding Dabao Creek, the villagers have passed down a legend about a water demon for generations. Every year during the seventh lunar month, when the gates of the underworld open, the air by the creek seems to grow heavier, and even the moonlight carries a hint of eerie chill. Elders would always warn the children: “Never go near the river at night—the water ghost is waiting to take your place!”

Long ago, the Dabao River was not yet called “Dead Baby's Pool.” At that time, the river water was clear, and villagers often washed clothes and fished by the riverbank. One summer, a young fisherman named Ah Ming would row his small boat out to the stream at night to fish. His catch was always more abundant than others', and the villagers speculated that he must have made a deal with some “entity.”

On a certain night in early July, the moon was obscured by dark clouds, and the stream's surface was as black as an bottomless piece of jade. Ah Ming rowed out into the stream as usual, but he heard the sound of a woman crying on the water's surface, low and heart-wrenching. He followed the sound and saw a faint figure of a woman in white standing in the middle of the stream, the water only reaching her waist, yet she seemed to be floating on the surface. Ah Ming's heart skipped a beat, but curiosity drove him to row closer.

“Young man, please help me... my necklace fell into the water...” The woman's voice was weak and pleading. Ah Ming looked down and saw a silver necklace glistening on the water's surface, slowly drifting away with the current. Without hesitation, he reached out to grab it, but found that the necklace was drifting further and further away. He paddled after it, the oars splashing the water, creating ripples. Suddenly, a cold force grabbed his ankle from beneath the water, clamping down like an iron vise. Ah Ming struggled in terror, but felt himself being dragged toward the bottom of the water, hearing the woman's laughter ringing in his ears, sharp as a knife.

“Stay with me... I've waited too long...” the voice echoed underwater. Ah Ming struggled desperately and finally, as he was about to lose consciousness, he grabbed the roots of a tree on the shore and climbed ashore. He looked back and saw that the surface of the stream was calm as a mirror. There was no woman or necklace. Only his small boat was floating alone in the middle of the water.

From that day on, Ah Ming dared not go out in his boat at night. He told the villagers that water ghosts were real—they were the souls of those who had drowned in the stream, filled with resentment, unable to be reincarnated, and doomed to roam the watery depths in search of substitutes. It is said that anyone dragged into the water by a water ghost becomes a new water ghost, continuing this endless cycle. From then on, Dabao Creek was called “Dead Infant's Den,” as the villagers believed even the souls of innocent infants could become water ghosts, seeking substitutes.

After this story spread throughout the village, no one dared to approach Dabao Creek during the Ghost Month. Occasionally, someone passing by the creek would hear whispers coming from beneath the water's surface or see a blurry figure floating on the water—perhaps a child or a woman. The elders said that was the water demon's temptation, waiting for the next person who carelessly approached.

So, my friend, after hearing this story, you must remember it well. Especially during the Ghost Month when the gates of the underworld open, never be tempted to play near the water. Those water ghosts don't discriminate; they just want a substitute to free themselves. Don't you think we should be careful?